Activity for Sherwood Botsford‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: If I get a ticket for fishing without license, will buying a licence make my ticket go away? He's on the take. Contact the main office, explain the whole thing. They may wish your help to nab him. In general I don't know any jurisdiction where getting the permit after getting caught absolves you of the penalty. If this were the case, then no one would buy the permit first. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is Gaia GPS inaccurate for distances? GPS's are subject to 'jitter' The GPS signal has several sources of error. Jitter, under good conditions is fairly constant around 2 meters. There is a longer term error of about 7 meters that is more broad scale. WAIS will counteract this one. It has a much slower time fluctuation so it will not a... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you avoid Norovirus on the AT? While the following won't absolutely prevent it, it will help: Set up a hand washing station in camp. The easiest one of these is a perforated ladle made from a pop bottle. Size the holes so that it runs water for 10-15 seconds. Provide a foam soap dispenser that has an anti-viral in it. Have a d... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Most common infectious diseases acquired in the wilderness? Numbers: You are asking the right questions. From 30 years of running about 4 weeks of trips annually: About 1 trip in 5 we would have an 'epidemic' of upset stomach and loose bowels. Usually this was attributed to poor dish washing. Adding a hotwater/bleach cycle to the daily routine eliminated... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Snowshoe hare migration patterns through changing seasons I don't think rabbits migrate. Disease cycles Rabbit and hare populations can crash by as much as 90% just from disease. If the disease crash is coupled with a high predator population, the remaining 10% is under severe hunting pressure. If there is an alternate prey species for the predator, pre... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Protection while working with acetone Unless you are exposed constantly, you can probably deal with this by setting up reasonable ventilation. Either work outside, and stand crossways to the wind, or set up an exhaust hood or fan to pull air from where you work to the outside. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to treat a severe allergic reaction while hiking? An epi-pen buys you 15 to 30 minutes. You can follow up with benadryl for other antihistamine. But the patient needs to understand what to do. For a back country activity the patient needs sufficient antihistamine to get over the incident or back to medical facility. This is a serious incident. ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you build a warming fire in an old barrel? A good burning barrel needs holes near the bottom to supply air. A pick axe or a geology hammer works well for putting in the holes. Put most of them between 6 and 12 inches from the base. Used for burning trash on a weekly basis a barrel lasts for years. If you store it where it is dry, it will ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are cushioned socks necessary for hiking boots? Try thick socks and 1 to 1.5 boot sizes larger. In passing: I used to take a 9 or 9.5 Now I take 11. Feet keep growing. Lookup custom boots. For decades the White Boot Company in Spokane WA made custom logging/forestry boots. They were expensive, about 2.5 times the price of reasonable sto... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to "hide" text so that it can't be vandalized but without damaging any public property? I had permission to a bunch of adjacent farm/pasture/bush land near a school I worked at. I think this would be reasonable also in utility type public land: community pasture, national forest, wilderness areas, but not in lands whose function is beauty such as parks, or sites that get large traffic... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the problem with burying toilet paper? If you can leave your crap there, you can leave the toilet paper too. Both will degrade fairly rapidly. Much of this is aesthetics rather than impact. No one wants to find tufts of toilet paper scattered about a portage landing, but the presence of the paper will have minimal impact on the local l... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How unpleasant is Hypothermia? It's not that bad. First of all, distinguish between hypothermia and frostbite. The latter is when your flesh actually freezes. Water crystals do a lot of damage. It is extremely painful when thawing. If you get cold enough for numbness to set in, that too will be painful on warming. Hypothe... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Paracord rope strength If I slice across your knit rope, in a flat cut, how many strands would I cut. Looks like 8. Now use the best lies you can find about the strength reduction in a bend in kernmantle rope. My recollection is that it is about 80% of the original strength. (60% in a stranded rope) (The core fibers i... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What Navigation Aids can I make on an island with only a knife? If you aren't drifting, then one item that would be useful is a log. This is as simple as a chunk of wood and a line. Time how long it takes for the log to reach the end of the line. This gives you a consistent idea of your speed at least relative to the parcel of water you are in. A stone on a s... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to deal with little flies flying into the eyes? Black flies (habitat: near fast flowing water) sand flies (obvious) and noseeums also fly into eyes. They aren't seeking your eyes, they just bumble into them. I've also had them get out of reach in my ears, fly up my nose, have inhaled them by mistake, and found them crawling into the crease betw... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How safe is it for women to hike alone? At the risk of being politically incorrect, how pretty are you? I see a petite, pretty woman as being far more at risk than a bigger less vogue-looing woman. Being pretty makes Black Hats consider it. Being petite makes them think you will be easy to overpower. If you are fearful of attack: C... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Need help Identifying the proper globe for an unknown propane lantern Edit: My bad. Poster is asking for globe -- the glass enclosure on the outside, not the fine thorium oxide ash mantle that breaks so easily. In passing: The lantern can be operated without a globe. I would hesitate to use it in adverse weather. The mantles are fragile and a strong wind or a rai... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I disinfect my wool hiking socks? Rubbing alchohol is also an effective disinfectant. However, the problem is more general: Wearing socks inside foot boxes on a day in, day out basis is the root. Recommendations to prevent a recurrence: Go barefoot more of the time. When you do get an infection, rub your feet with rubbing alco... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why is it prohibited to sleep in a tent? Fascinating This is NOT an answer, but just a perspective from another place: I am in western Canada, in the province of Alberta. I would not presume to cross fenced land without asking. But unfenced land is considered open. Much of the land near streams is crown land -- and that is open for re... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to repair the ripped seam in my leather cowboy boots? I do a lot of my own repair. However, this is one where I instead work on the idea of 'consumer relations' My attack: Phone the company that made them. Explain the problem, and ask how to get them replaced. (You can email them but this will add 3 days to the exchange) Rationale: For this to sh... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How much energy does your body give off on a normal basis? Which part of your body gives off the most heat? What is this amount Basal metabolic rate is about 75 watts. That is, this is the price of keeping a normal body temperature. Can drop some during sleep. Light exercise -- you can talk, but not sing without excessive pauses -- raises this to 200-300 watts. A trained athlete can generate 500-1000 watts for extended per... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Suggestions for a winter lifestyle You are correct: Mittens work better than gloves, but are usually harder to find. The best mittens come as separate outers and inners. They dry much faster at the end of the day. If they soak through, you can change inners. The outers are snow proof. In really cold weather I prefer nylon oute... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How would I find a hot spring? Walk the line on a humid very cold still morning. If the hot spring is of any significance -- e.g. enough surface to get in, and enough flow to be hot, -- you should get a plume of steam rising off the water. This will likely require an air water temperature differential of at least 40 degrees F to... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to camp in wolf country? I've spoken to trappers. Wolves are a non-starter. Even in a trap, they try to get away, not attack. One trapper said that the only time he's been bitten by a wild animal it was a muskrat. While wolf attacks are rare there ahve been several attacks by cougar/mountain lion of late. In each case th... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it safe to drink out of a rusty thermos? It's harmless. Rinse out anything loose. If you want, add a handfull of gravel, a cup of water, and shake for 10 minutes to get stuff out. A thermos is going to be food grade metal. So the alloys will not be exotic ones with chromium or vanadium in quantity. In passing: a 1 or 2 liter bottle wi... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is this knee pain when going downhill? Change shoes. Visit a physiotherapist, and take your current shoes -- both the ones you use on trips, and the ones you wear every day. A good physio can learn a lot from reading the wear patterns on your shoes. If you go to a doc, go to a sports doc. Call the coach at your local high school or ... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are zipper covers crucial? Good zipper may keep out more water, but a rain flap will do the trick. A rain flap has a vulnerable direction. Driving rain from side with the open edge of the flap will seep further. Rain gear that will keep you dry bicycling is tough. You are either going to get wet or you are going to sweat, ... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the things I need to know when fashioning a sling? I think you did just fine. Key factors: You want the leather to be non flat, so the stone sits in in one place. This will get you far more consistent throws. You have in essence created the pocket by making the rim with the line. I think the common way is just to tie the line to the pocket mater... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to use a poncho in high winds? I had this issue on canoe trips. I would wear my life jacket over my poncho. Worked a treat. One of the things in my backpack is a bungie cord long enough to use as a belt. It has a bunch of uses in camp too, but fastening around a poncho works. One other easy mod for ponchos is to add some snap... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are areas of the body which lose heat more quickly, and how can I reduce that loss? Over most of your body your system can restrict blood flow to the skin, cooling the skin (and making you feel cold) Locations where bloodvessels run close to skin big sources of heat loss. Parts of your body that have sub-cutaneous fat lose heat more slowly. Wehre there is little fat (sides of t... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is the "Rule of 3" proven for food? Real examples abound. The best one from a story perspective is Wallace's "Lure of the Labrador" An entertaining read for so many bad decisions. They were out 5 months, expected to live by hunting, and had only 2 months food with them. One died. The other two started out plump, and came back bone... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the point of hiking boots, versus any comfortable walking shoes? I only wear hiking boots if there is significant off trail or heavy scree. The last dozen or so expeditions (1 week + trips 50 lb pack) I did I mostly wore MEC reef boots, or divers boots, sized to allow medium weight work socks. The routes we did were mostly horse trails in Willmore Wilderness or ... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Bleeding a fish without a cooler Depending on the weather, I would try to keep them alive in the water until you are lamost ready to start back. Clean them just before you start back. If the weather is colder than that water, clean them immediately, and hang. You can wrap them in a burlap bag. If you keep the bag wet, evaporatio... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it ok to bleed a fish in muddy water If the water is sufficiently clean that you are willing to eat the fish, it's clean enough to use to bleed the fish. Dirt as such isn't poisonous. Clear water isn't necessarily safe. Two ways come to mind: Use a pail of river water. This will at least keep most of the local critters nibblin... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to make a fully-enclosed tarp setup with a 1.4 x 2.4 meter tarp, for one person? The second one is the better form. I have used that form, with the tall end in a spruce in both heavy rain and in snow, and stayed perfectly dry. However I didn't use a tarp as small as 1.4 x 2.4 m The one I used, I think was sold as an 8 x 10 foot tarp, but in fact was about 7.5 x 9.5 feet -- cal... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: When hiking should I always wear a shirt and sunscreen, or is just sunscreen okay? If you are a person who burns readily then sunblock at all times plus long sleeve shirt and hat are your only answer. However the danger of sun, IMHO is overrated, compared to the other hazards of life. At one point I used the World Almanac for figures: Fatal skin cancers kill about 2 people per h... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to rate a walk/hike by length, height gain, etc using analysis of GPS data? Very rough rule of thumb is that effort distance (ED) is horizontal distance (HD) + 5 Vertical distance (VD) So ED = HD + VD example: A recent hike I took had a horizontal distance of 85 miles, and a vertical distance (up and down) of 25,000 feet. The effort distance ED = 85 + 125000/5280 or 110 ... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to freeze a water container without deforming it? I have found that soda pop bottles are designed for higher pressure and don't deform as badly. Plus they are cheap to replace. In general a soda pop bottle filled to just the start of the shoulder won't break. Water freezes from the top down. In a tall bottle, water freezing at the top gets a gri... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to look for in a winter skills course? Interesting. All of the answers address winter mountaineering, which I would regard as a separate subject. Winter skills for someone like me, living 4 hours from the mountains, would primarily be about how to prepare and cope with winter conditions, such as encountered by a hunter or hiker below ti... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Water filter that handles mercury? I used to do canoe trips on the English River, in western Ontario. One of the mills polluted the river with mercury, and it made the fish poisonous to eat in quantity. Throughout the lakes downstream there were signs giving the allowable eating -- on the order of one trout per week. We could drink ... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to get a top-mount cooking burner for 20 lb propane tank? Try at forestry supply stores. The guys that sell pulaskis, fire pumps, etc. They have the entire setup for portable kitchens. The ones I've seen were a separate stove and bottle, but the stove and pedestal were sized that the stove would stack on the bottle. We used such a rig on a large canoe... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do you need to purify all mountain water sources I have traveled the back country for 4-6 weeks a year for 30 years, mostly in the Canadian rockies and on the pre-cambrian shield. I've never used water purification, nor did we generally in our group. We've had some cases of the runs over the years, but the spread out nature made it unlikely it wa... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it dangerous to sleep in a tent alone in a forest in -20°C? Piece of cake. I was working for St. John's Cathedral Boys' School in the late 70's. The school had a winter program that included week long dog sled expeditions. We had the odd case of frostbite, but nothing serious. On a bet, I slept under a tarp for a year. It wasn't a fancy setup. I start... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Measuring actual distance walked on a map (Allowing for changes in height) The change in distance from flat is fairly small. A 10% slope is about when you start toe striking instead of heel striking. Your leg is bent when your foot touches the ground and you have to straighten it. This is a lot more work. Your distance is about 0.5% extra due to the slope. A standard s... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why did my new sleeping bag come with 2 bags - one large and one stuff sack? If your sleeping bag did NOT come with two stuff stacks, leave it loosely stuffed in your pack, or in a large cardboard box. I have an old trunk that is used just for sleeping bags and parkas. (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is a tarp necessary if you have a tent with a rainfly and a footprint? I don't take a tent, I just take a tarp. Easier to pitch (if you have trees) In 30 years of experience (4-6 weeks per year) I've only once gotten actually wet doing this. Old tarp. Heavy rain. I pack the tarp last thing, to give it maximum drying time. If it's dry it goes in my pack. If wet... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is a place in the U.S.A that is between 40°F - 60°F (5°C - 15°C) year round and doesn't get a ton of rain? I don't think you will get consistent 40-60 daytime highs (what I assumed you meant) anywhere that isn't moderated by the ocean. However Fiasco is correct: The Olympic Penninsula around Sequim is very close. Summer temps are cool enough that tomatoes won't rippen outside of a greenhouse. Winter h... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hiking boot help I've had the opposite problem. My feet are very wide from decades of mocassin use. So my ideas might not work. Certainly lacing techniques are worth trying. Normally I don't find these very effective with a low top shoe. One technique however that may work: Lace up the fore foot for comfort, ti... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is scientific relation between body weight and backpack weight in mountain climbing? I used to apply the 30% rule, and for out of shape adults it works pretty well. But I worked with teenage males, ranging from the 70 lb dripping wet grade 7 to the 160 lb lean as a rake grade 12 just starting to come into his adult strength. But in between were a bunch of butter balls. They were a... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip? Ben's answer above is good. I wish I could give him more than just one upclick. Rules of thumb: Carbs and proteins run 3.5 to 4 calories per gram. Fats run aobut 9 calories per gram. Working hard, especially in cold weather, you can tolerate a lot of fat in your diet. When planning food for teen... (more)	—	over 11 years ago

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